Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

^{Header image: Canada FASD Research Network logo}

(Feb 9, 2026) The most prevalent disability in classrooms may be FASD — and supporting students is vital
https://theconversation.com/the-most-prevalent-disability-in-classrooms-may-be-fasd-and-supporting-students-is-vital-272553

Written by Tanya Joseph [(BEd ’22, MEd ’24)] PhD Student, Faculty of Education, Queen’s University, Ontario

Background: (June 19, 2025) Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: About, causes and co-occurring conditions
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder.html
➡ More than 400 other health conditions are related to or commonly occur together with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. They can affect almost all systems in the body.

(Nov 6, 2025) The Adult FASD Expert Collaboration Team (AFECT) was developed to make sure the voices of those with FASD are included in the research process. It is a group of adults with FASD across Canada who meet monthly with CanFASD members to talk about FASD research.

Despite expanded teaching approaches and policy changes, a dual system still exists that involves children with disabilities such as FASD being excluded from the rest of the class.
FASD may be the most prevalent disability in Canadian classrooms. FASD affects between 1.4 per cent and 4.4 per cent of the population in Canada — a prevalence greater than Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy combined.
In teacher education programs, teacher candidates receive training through a combination of coursework and placements. Although courses offered to teacher candidates that reflect special education may be compulsory, explicit instruction on specific disabilities, such as FASD, may be limited.

CanFASD Network: https://canfasd.ca/
➡ Canada’s source for evidence-based information on FASD

The Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network (CanFASD) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary research network, with collaborators, researchers and partners across the nation. It is Canada’s first comprehensive national Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) research network. It started as an alliance of seven jurisdictions and operated for seven years as the Canada Northwest FASD Research Network.